Alignment means for perforating multi-pipe string wells



-PIPE STRING WELLS March v30, 1965 D. A. NORTH ALIGNMENT MEANS FORPERFORATING MULTI Filed Aug. 22, 1958 ATTORNEY.

United States Patent() 3,175,617 ALIGNMENT MEANS FOR PERFORATINGMULTI-PIPE STRING WELLS Daniel A. North, Snyder, Tex., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa,

Okla., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 756,666

' 12 Claims. (Cl. 166-55.1)

`perforating` the other of the pipe strings.

The present invention may be briefly described as involving apparatusfor use in a well comprising in com, bination a plurality of pipestrings in the well, including at least a first pipe string and at leasta second pipe string. The pipe strings are arranged in the welleccentrically andparallel with respect to each other. At least one ofsaid pipe strings has at least a portion of its inner `wall of aninternal cross-sectional configuration different from the internalcross-sectional coniiguration of the other pipe string. The internalconfiguration of the one pipe string is such that it has a major and aminor crosssectional axis, the one pipe string being ,oriented withrespect to the other pipe string with a selected onev of thecross-sectional axes in a direction to avoid, when extended,intersecting the periphery of any of the other pipe strings. Anelongated body member is retrievably lowerable and movable through theone pipe string and is provided with perforating means and with biasingmeans for positioning the body member for movement through the pipestring, the perforating means and the biasing means being verticallyspaced from eachother such that the perforating means is positioned toperforate the wall `of a pipe string in alignment with the selected oneof the cross-sectional axes whereby only said one pipe string isperforated. The pipe string which isperforated may thus be perforated inalignment with either the major or minor cross-sectional Iaxis dependingon how the pipe string is arranged relative to the other pipe strings.

The internal cross-sectional coniiguration of the selected one of thepipe strings maybe that of an ellipse, while the internal configurationof the other pipe strings may be circular. While the selected one pipestring may `have an internal configuration throughout its lengthdifferent from the internal con-iiguration of the other pipe strings, itmay be preferred that the internal coniguration of the selected one pipestring while the other portions of the wall of the selected one of thepipe strings Imay have an internal configuration identical to theinternal configuration of the other pipe string. It isunderstood, ofcourse, that each pipe string may have an internal configurationdifferent from the other pipe strings in the well such that each andevery one of the several pipe strings may be separately perforated in aselected zone without perforating the other pipe strings in the well.

Suitable internal configurations having major and minor cross-sectionalaxes are those such as an elliptical shape or oval or a grooved orslotted shape such that they are major and minor axes. `'Other suitableconiigurations may be rectangular and the like.

The elongated body member is provided with a biasing means whichsuitably may be a spring biased positioning arm or may be drag springsor may include one or more spring loaded bars or leaf type springs andthe like.

.V1 and 2, numeral 11 designates awell bore drilled from 3,175,617Patented Mar. 30, 1965 The perforating means may suitably be shapedcharges or bullet guns, although it is intended that the perforatingmeans may include mechanical-performing means or chemical perforatingmeans. The perforating means are arranged on the elongated body memberverticallyY spaced from the positioning means and in vertical alignmenttherewith.

The elongated body member is of a suitable diameter such as to belowerable through the usual well tubing.

The present invention is quite advantageous and useful in Wellscontaining aplurality of parallel eccentrically placed pipe stringsarranged in a bore-hole and cemented in place. One of the pipe stringsmay communicate with one or more of hydrocarbon productive zones,horizons, sands, intervals, formations, strata, and the like, from whichvaluable liuid such as hydrocarbons, including oil and/or gas, may beproduced. The several parallel eccentrically placed pipe strings may beprovided withuid communication for workover and recompletion operations,and may be positioned for multiple completions.

The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to thedrawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view, partly in section of the device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. v y

FIG. 3 is ya view similar to FIG. 2, providing a slight modification.

FIG. 4 is a view of the perforating gun of FIG. 1 illustrating thepositioningmeans contained therein.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a modiiication of the device asshown inFIG. 1.

- FIG. 6 illustrates still another modification -of the presentinvention.

FIG. f7. is a view of a perforating gun containing positioning meansIadopted -for use-in the device of FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a sectional viewillustrating a modilication of FIGS.Qand 3. p

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS.

the earths surface, not shown, to penetrate a plurality of subsurfaceearth strata or formations 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, in which zones orintervals 12, 14, and 16 may b e productive of hydrocarbons.

Arranged in the well bore 11 are pipe strings 17 and 18, which arecemented in the well bore with cement 19. Pipe string 17 may be aconventional pipe string and have a circular cross-sectionalconiguration while pipe string 18 may have a plurality of sections 20and 21, which have an internal configuration different from the internalconfiguration of pipe string 17. For example, the sections 20 and 21 maybe elliptical in cross-sectional configuration. Lowerable through thepipe string 18 and movable through the sections 20 and 21 on a conductorcable or wire line 23 is an elongated body member 24 provided with aApositioning means 25 having a plurality of perforating means 26arranged Ain perpendicular alignment with the perforating means 26 andvertically spaced apart therefrom. The perforatingmeans, 26 may b'eeither bullet guns, shaped charges, mechanical type perforators, orchemical perforators as has been described. When the perforating meansis` properly oriented; lit is then operated to perforate the `pipestring such as 18.

In FIG. l the body memberV 24Vis shown in section 20 for perforatingsection 20. It is contemplated that the body member 24 may be positionedin section 20 only a sufficient distance to orient the perforating meansproperly and then the perforating means may be operated to perforate thepipe string 18 in vertical alignment with the major axis of section 20but above or below section 20, and the like. A

vA's shown inWFIGS. 2 and 3, Vthe pipe sections 20 and 21, positioning`arms 25, and perforating charges 26 arel relatively positioned so thatwhen the section of pipe is perforated thepath ofthe perforatng elementprojected ,is entirely clear of the pipeV 17. 'I'his line of travel, yasshown, may be aligned with the major orrthe minor axis ofthecross-sectional area of the pipe sections 20 or 21.VV

It is tov beV noted that the cross-sectional area across ythe minor axisVof the sections and 21 are at least as *large as the cross-sectionalarea of the pipe 18. For this reason the gun housing24can be easilyloweredlinto the sections 20A and 21whereb-y thepositioningrneans 25"can then take over andialign the gun housing 24 `the Y Y properposition. 'f

Referring again to FIG. l, the pipe'17 is shown extendving belowthelower end of the pipe 18 and adjacent the formationl. This formation,as will be understood, can

- be perforated by a conventional 'gun such as 29Y asrthere i is nodangerV of perforating any other pi-pe.`

Referring now to FIG. 4, the gun housing Z4 is shown attached tothe'conductor cable ZlfartdV provided with rperforating means 26.k Thebody 24 is provided with a windowpsection `27 which has pivotallyarranged therein VVpositioningmeans such as arms which a-re springVlbiased voutwardly by'leaf springs 28.

. When a .weighted body V.such as 24 is lowered into a pipe, `the torqueexerted by the VWire line by which it is being lowered causes the bodyto spin almost continuously'.4 The 'springs 28 which bias Vthe varms 25outwardly against the pipe Wall do not exert sufficient pressure againstthe arms to prevent Vthis rotation Yduring the guns travel through theround pipe 18. -It is only when the hg1'1n'ente'rs the oval shapedVsections such Vas 20 and the arms are extended to their llimit alongthe major axis` of 'the cross-sectional areal-ofthe section 20 thatrthisrotaa perforating means such*` as 35 which,` injthis instance, may beashaped charge. The perforator 31 is provided with a spring biasedpositioning'means-such as 33 as described in FIG. 7. Y

The present inventionrniay incorporate, if desired, a

switch circuit to fire thel charges which can only be operated when thepositioning arms suchV as 25 and 33 are :fully extended.

In Vernployingthe present invention for perforating only one Yof aplurality of pipe strings, the different configurattion of the selectedone ofthe pipe string'srnayrbe considered asa earn lsurface which may beeither at the bottom ofthe pipe string, continuous throughout theseveral hydrocarbon productive intervals or f in `relatively shortsections at intervals througho'ttheupipe string.V

These cam surfaces Yare oriented with `respect ,to the other of the pipestrings and an actuatingfor. positioning means controlled byrthe'camsurfacelis provided on the perforating gun to orient properly theperforating means such as shaped or jet chargessuch that only theselected one of the pipe strings is-perforated;V

, Theg'unk perforator or theper'for'ating device compris- Y ing theelongated body membe'rifand` perforating means I islowered through theselected pipe strings such that the perforating means is orientedfinfthe`proper direction Vfprior to operating the -perforating means `toperforatethe `tion 20 relative to the other pipes.y Y

selected pipe string.V K The pipes such as 17 and 18 would be initiallyconnected to each other such'as by strapping prior torunning in theborehole so as to properly position the sec- The sections such as 20 and21 `will usually have a maximum length of about 30 feetV but maybeshorter Y or longer asmay be dictated by requirements.

tion is prevented. It is only when the arms 25y are fully k'extended'that they 'eaert'suici'ent resistance to stop the body 24 fromrotatiiigf-k v i y As illustratedrk in FIG.p5,foval`shapedpipe sectionssuch as 20a maybe positioned just below the productive intervals suchVasv 12 and k1st-and need be `only, of Y suliicient the lower end, of thehousing 24a. The section'sfztla, of course, couldbe located justabovethe formations 12 rand 14'whereby the positioning arms 2.5 would bearrangedV in the upper end of the gun k'housing 24a.

j Y Referring lto FIG. 6 therefis illustrated one'oval sec-V tion 20which'willfacilitate Vthe perforation of both the lzones 12 and 14; Asshown, the arms 25 are located atY the upper4 endof the gun'housing 2411to afford perforation of 'zone 14" If zone 12 risto be perforated, thearms 25 'would bef'located in the lower end of the housing.

It will be understood, .hcJv-vjever,V that Vone pipe Asection fsuch'as20k or 20a could be placed above or kbelow all of the zones to beperforated; vand by means fof extensions length to 'accommodate aligning.action 'of the. arms` 25. As-can be seen, the positioning .arms 25areVlocated on As shown inf the description taken With'the drawing,theseveral ,pipe strings are cemented inplace -in proper orientationsuch thatonly one'fpipe Vstring'will -be perforatedl ata timeas desired`and' such that the other pipe string or 'strings may also beperforatedV separately withyout perforating other pipe strings r`inthewell. Y Thus production may :be .simultaneously hadfrom a plurality ofzones with one'pipe'string' perforated-in each zone.

As shown in the drawing, the-...pipe strings 17 and 18 may befluidly'cornmunicated by a passageway 43 formed byconnection44 whichvwill allow fluid to be circulated Y from oneY of the pipestrings toVthelotherof, the pipe strings for :completion and yworking-overYoperations. When this is done, it will klrre'fdesirarbleto Ylowerthrough and seal in one of thepipe strings a tubular member such thatfluid mayflow upwardly through one of `the pipe strings only through.thetubular'member'for circulation tothe gunhousingto correctlyplacefthe'charges 26, any ,Y

` one o f the "zones could Vbe selectively perforated.

' l VReferring nowto FIG, '7, an elongated'body member "suchpasg31,which may'be similar to the elongated body member12h4, is provided' witha Yrecess' 32` having a bar f 33V `biased 'outv'v'ardly'v from recess32`fby a spring means Vand;vertically'spaced fror'nxthebar 33 intheVrecessj 32 36 provided with'an internal slotfor'groove 3'7. Arranged inthe pipe string 36' is a'body member sugli-@S 3 1 having andsqueezing ofcementand othertreating reagents as may be desired. -A descriptionfof`such completion and work-over .operations may. be V,found inpendingapplication, YSerial No."602,246, now Patent No. 2,938,584, filed Augustk6, r1956,'fo`r John"W. Kenneday and Gilbert H. jTausch: While theinvention has been described with respect to two pipeistrings in a wellbore, it may be used Withthree, four, or more parallel; and eccentricpipe strings and is applicable theretorv with each pipe string providedwith internal configurations different from each other for practice of'the present inventionV forlseparate such as'xhelicalcoil springs34Li kInverticalkalignment perforation of each string 'in differentVVzonesi'ivitl'iout damagingor perforatinganyofthefotherstrings.u y, ,Y

As shown clearlylin FIGS. 1f, 4, 5, 6andy7 of-the drawings, r:the,positioningor.biasingrneans Ymay be arranged on either-the upper.for'1ow er end of the Velongated body member or the perforatingrneansmay be 'arrangedV o n thebody member'above and below the biasing means.n `A'sjstated, the present invention'is quiteadvantageous and usefulirl-that simplemeans are providedv for perforating only `one pipestringV of a pluralityof pipe strings in a well.

aimera' The nature and objects of the present invention having beencompletely described and illustrated, what l wish to claim as new anduseful and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. For use in a well, apparatus which comprises, in combination, aplurality of pipe strings in said well including at least a iirst pipestring and at least a second pipe string in said well arranged eccentricand essentially parallel to the first pipe string, one of said pipestrings having at least a portion of its inner wall of an internalcross-sectional configuration different from the internalcross-sectional configuration of the other of said pipe strings, theinternal configuration of said one pipe string having a major and aminor cross-sectional axis, said one pipe string being oriented withrespect to the other pipe string with a selected one of itscross-sectional axes in a direction to avoid, when extended,intersecting the periphery of any of said other pipe strings, anelongated body member retrievably lowerable and movable through said onepipe string, perforating means carried by said body member, and meanscarried by and biased outwardly from said body member for positioningsaid body member for movement through and contact with the wall of saidone pipe string, said perforating means being carried by said bodymember such that said perforating means is positioned on said bodymember to perforate the wall of the pipe string in alignment with theselected crosssectional axis which avoids, when extended, intersectingthe periphery of said other pipe strings whereby only said one pipestring is perforated.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the internalconfiguration of said one pipe string is elliptical and the internalconfiguration of said other pipe string is circular.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the inner wall of saidone pipe string is provided with a grooved internal configuration andthe inner Wall of the other pipe string is provided with a circularinternal configuration, said one pipe string being oriented with respectto the other pipe string such that the selected one of the crosssectional axes is the major axis.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the selected axis isthe major axis.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim l in which the selected axis isthe minor axis.

6. For use in a well, apparatus which comprises, in combination, aplurality of pipe strings in said well including at least a first pipestring and at least a second pipe string in said well arranged eccentricand essentially parallel to the first pipe string, at least oneelongated section in one of said pipe strings having an internalcrosssectional configuration dierent from the internal cross-sectionalconfiguration of the other of said pipe strings, the internalconfiguration of said section in said one pipe string having a major anda minor cross-sectional axis, said section being oriented with respectto the other pipe string with its major cross-sectional axis in adirection to avoid, when extended, intersecting the periphery of any ofsaid other pipe strings, an elongated body member retrievably lowerablethrough said one pipe string and movable in said section, shaped chargeperforating means carried by said body member, and means carried by andbiased outwardly from said body member vertically spaced from saidperforating means for positioning said body member for movement throughand contact with the wall of said section in said one pipe string, saidperforating means and said positioning means being carried by said bodymember such that said perforating means is positioned to perforate thewall of said one pipe string in vertical alignment with the major crosssectional axis of said section whereby only said one pipe string isperforated.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the biasing means iscarried on the upper end of said body member.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the biasing means iscarried on the lower end of said body member.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the perforating meansare arranged on said body member above and below said biasing means.

10. For use in a well, apparatus which comprises, in combination, aplurality of pipe strings in said well including at least a first pipestring and at least a second pipe string in said well arranged eccentricand essentially parallel to the first pipe string, at least oneelongated section in one of said pipe strings having an internalcross-sectional elliptical configuration, the internal crosssectionalconfiguration of the other of said pipe strings being circular, saidsection being oriented with respect to the other pipe string with themaior cross-sectional axis of the elliptical coniguration in a directionto avoid, when extended, intersecting the periphery of any of said otherpipe strings, an elongated body member retrievably lowerable throughsaid one pipe string and movable in said section, shaped chargeperforating means carried by said body member, and means carried by andbiased outwardly from said body member vertically spaced from saidperforating means for positioning said body member for movemnt throughandcontact with the wall of said section in said one pipe string, saidperforating means and said positioning means being carried by said bodymember such that said perforating means is positioned to perforate thewall of one pipe string in vertical alignment with the majorcross-sectional axis of said section whereby only said one pipe stringis perforated.

1l. An apparatus for completing a well at a plurality of productionlevels comprising a plurality of conduits of diierent lengths, each ofsaid conduits extending with its lower end to a level within a separateproduction interval, and at least one of said conduits being provided ata level adjacent the productive interval to which it extends with analignment section having a noncircular cross-section with a major and aminor axis, said one of said conduits being oriented with respect to theother conduits to position a selected one of said axes of said sectionin a direction to avoid, when extended, intersecting the periphery ofany of said other conduits.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 in combination with an alignmenttool arranged within said alignment section and spaced from the innerwall thereof by outwardly biased positioning means in said tool, saidpositioning means being movable in a radial direction and so disposed insaid ltool as to lie on said major axis of said alignment section.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,154,162 4/ 39Hewitt et al 166--66 2,408,419 10/46 Foster 89-1.0Z 2,785,754 3/57 True166-114 2,822,048 2/58 Tausch 166--114 2,85 8,107 10/58 Colmerauer 166-4CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN BENDETT, Examiner.

1. FOR USE IN A WELL, APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, APLURALITY OF PIPE STRINGS IN SAID WELL INCLUDING AT LEAST A FIRST PIPESTRING AND AT LEAST A SECOND PIPE STRING IN SAID WELL ARRANGED ECCENTRICAND ESSENTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE FIRST PIPE STRING, ONE OF SAID PIPESTRINGS HAVING AT LEAST A PORTION OF ITS INNER WALL OF AN INTERNALCROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION DIFFERENT FROM THE INTERNALCROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION OF THE OTHER OF SAID PIPE STRINGS, THEINTERNAL CONFIGURATION OF SAID ONE PIPE STRING HAVING A MAJOR AND AMINOR CROSS-SECTIONAL AXIS, SAID ONE PIPE STRING BEING ORIENTED WITHRESPECT TO THE OTHER PIPE STRING WITH A SELECTED ONE OF ITSCROSS-SECTIONAL AXES IN A DIRECTION TO AVOID, WHEN EXTENDED,INTERSECTING THE PERIPHERY OF ANY OF SAID OTHER PIPE STRINGS, ANELONGATED BODY MEMBER RETRIEVABLY LOWERABLE AND MOVABLE THROUGH SAID ONEPIPE STRING, PERFORATING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BODY MEMBER, AND MEANSCARRIED BY AND BIASED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BODY MEMBER FOR POSITIONINGSAID BODY MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THROUGH AND CONTACT WITH THE WALL OF SAIDPIPE STRING, SAID PERFORATING MEANS BEING CARRIED BY SAID BODY MEMBERSUCH THAT SAID PERFORATING MEANS IS POSITIONED ON SAID BODY MEMBER TOPERFORATE THE WALL OF THE PIPE STRING IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SELECTEDCROSSSECTIONAL AXIS WHICH AVOIDS, WHEN EXTENDED, INTERSECTING THEPERIPHERY OF SAID OTHER PIPE STRINGS WHEREBY ONLY SAID ONE PIPE STRINGIS PERFORATED.